Late last week Football in Berkshire wrote ‘Holyport will be favourites’ going in to their FA Vase First Round tie at Spelthorne Sports and things were indeed going their way on 25 minutes when Cyril Ocansey opened the scoring.
Rightly or wrongly in terms of predictions, Spelthorne prop up the Combined Counties League Premier Division South while Holyport have continued where they left off at the end of last season pushing hard at the top of the North.
However, two saved Holyport penalties later – anyone around football will know in cup footbal – when the home side then get a penalty of their own it’s going in.
And that’s what happened on 83 minutes when Sports levelled to take the game straight to penalties with the home side emerging 4-3 victors.
There was some good news elsewhere as Windsor & Eton survived an early scare at home to Brook House to take a 3-1 win into the Second Round and Burnham defeated Eastbourne United 5-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in normal time.
There were exits for Wallingford & Crowmarsh on penalties at Erith & Belvedere as well as Virginia Water who lost 1-0 in Kent at Whitstable Town while Berks County were beaten 3-1 at Epsom & Ewell and Yateley United lost 4-2 at home to Bearsted.
Tadley Calleva though will try again with Ivybridge Town after the game on Saturday at Barlows Park was postponed. A new date is yet to be confirmed.
Berkshire’s 2024/25 FA Vase First Round results
- Spelthorne Sports 1-1 Holyport (Spelthorne Sports win 4-3 on penalties)
- Windsor & Eton 3-1 Brook House
- Erith & Belvedere 1-1 Wallingford & Crowmarsh (E&B win 3-1 on penalties)
- Tadley Calleva P-P Ivybridge Town
- Whitstable Town 1-0 Virginia Water
- Yateley United 2-4 Bearsted
- Epsom & Ewell 3-1 Berks County
- Burnham 0-0 Eastbourne United (Burnham win 5-3 on penalties)
2024/25 FA Vase Second Round draw for Berkshire
The FA Vase Second Round draw was made on Monday afternoon with three Berkshire sides in the hat.
Both Hilltop and the potential opponents for Tadley Calleva – Bridgwater United, are in the draw for the first time this season after reaching the Fourth Round in 2023/24.
- Burnham vs Cobham
- Tadley Calleva OR Ivybridge Town vs Bridgwater United
- Windsor & Eton vs Hilltop
FA Vase Second Round ties are due to be played on the weekend of Saturday 9th November 2024.
